Western Province Director of Rugby Nick Mallett is in Fiji on a shopping expedition, confident of luring talented Fijian players to Cape Town.

Mallett confirmed to the Fiji Times that the province was looking at six players, between the age of 17 and 20, to relocate to the Western Province Academy and hopefully to play for Western Province, the Stormers and Springboks.

The Fijian factor is something Mallett has focused on for the past year and he also believes that if Auckland and the like can lure Fijian, Tongan and Samoan players then why can’t Cape Town?

It is an action that will no doubt be seen negatively by some, but it is one that should be applauded. It is long overdue and finally someone has done more than talk about it.

Australia and New Zealand have for years tapped into the Island resources, why not South Africa?

Mallett returns to South Africa at the weekend and he expressed confidence that there was enough talent to identify six promising players, who in three to five years could be playing for the Boks.